False Pretenses Eclipse the Night
by TwilightsBrokenEclipse
Summary: This is an AU about Bella and Edward. Thier relationship is tested when a handsome young vampire joins the Cullen Coven. Bella is torn between three people. But is there something darker about Alex then they imagined? Can Jacob play nice?


Chapter one: Pretenses

My eyes flickered across my cheekbones as I watched her cross the street. The CD playing loudly, I turned the volume down and followed her with my gaze. Her purple T-shirt clung to her in the rain as she made her way to the passenger side of my car. I reached across the passenger seat and opened the door, the music still playing. She slid in, her face pink and her lips quivering.

"I'm sorry. That was thoughtless. I'll turn the heater on." I said, reaching for the button to turn the hot air on. I flipped the vent in her direction. As I looked at her, this fragile girl, I felt the same response as when I first realized I loved her. She turned to me and gave me a quick smile.

"Thanks. You know, I'm surprised you behaved yourself." She said, her tone clearly sarcasmic. "I know it took a lot for you to let me go." She said, her hand stretching out to touch mine, which was placed on her headrest.

I smiled. Bella knew how to do that to me. I could be in the deepest pit of dispair, and just her smile, her touch, her smell could make me cringe inside with unspoken joy. I hadn't quite gotten over the fact she loved me, too. It wasn't real. It just couldn't be real.

"Just because the mongrel is pathetically trying to steal you away from me, does not mean I can't play fair. Of course, all the hairballs he gets from licking himself must be a pain for you." I smiled crookedly at her. Her breathing sped up, and her heart rate increased. Though she smiled, I could see a trace of pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Bella. That was inappropriate." Yeah. Sure it was.

"Can't you be nice to Jacob? He is dealing with this better than I thought. I mean, I told him I didn't love him the same. Poor Jake." She looked out the rain soaked window and sighed. I presumed it was much harder for her than I was lead to believe. I always thought she would choose me. Just like I knew there would be pain from this decision. I gazed at her face now. My mind working over on that as I started the engine.

"So, has Alice said what this is about?" She was eyeing me now. Damn. Its harder to lie to her when she's staring at me. I sighed.

"No. And I told you she won't let me in her head. Bella, please do not be difficult. Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll hate it anyway." I smirked now. Alice had been planning this for a while. I hurriedly wiped the smirk from my face and pulled out of the lot. Changing the subject, I picked the first thing I knew she'd open up about.

"How was La Push? What did the dog--Jacob--and you do? He didn't take you to the cliffs again?" My eyebrow raised. She shook her head in mock disinterest.

"No, and you know that. You can't tell me you weren't racking his brains." She said, the smile etching across her pale skin. I smiled. She knew me better now.

"Of course. Did you like it then? The bonfire?" I looked sideways at her. She flung a hand in the air and waved it. Hmm...I liked when she did that. I smiled again.

"Ah, it was pretty. Of course, Jacob rambled on about the elders and crap."

"Ah. Telling stories again? Mutt." I grumbled under my breath. She looked at me with a curious gaze, then looked away. Did she just appraise me as if she heard me? I scoffed. The turnoff to my house was up ahead, and I could see she was glad. In all the years since we met, she seemed to marvel at the house as if it was some ancient artifact. My eyes searched the road ahead as I gathered Alice would be waiting on the front porch. Her voice was loud in my head.

_You didn't tell her, did you? I'm surprised your taking this well. It's not very often a new coven moves in with us, you know._

I gritted my teeth. This was going to be a really hard thing to deal with. I knew what was coming, and I was cheery outside, boiling mad inside. How could I allow such a thing? Was this really what Esme wanted? We stopped short of the porch. I turned the ignition off and turned to Bella's side to open her door, but she was already outside. I was going to ask her why she didn't wait for me, when I locked my eyes on hers. Her gaze trickled up the battered stone steps to, not seven, but nine, vampires. My frown must have been obvious, because Bella grabbed my hand and squeezed. She unlocked her gaze to stare at me.

"It's ok, Bella. This is what Alice has been planning. This is Esme's relatives." I said, pulling her by the hand and up the steps. We stopped right in front of the two new members of the coven. I wanted to kick Alice for this, but she already knew that's what I wanted to do, so she stood in the doorway.

"Bella, this is Alex and Domina. They are Esme's family. Alex, Domina, this is Bella." I said, not letting Bella out of my sight.

"Hi." Bella said. Her timidness pleased me. She was gawking at Alex. He, like me, has bronze colored hair, dashing looks and was wealthy. Her immediate trance to him worried me. A fear that had surpressed me since Esme announced they would be coming to live in forks.

"This is Domina, Bella" I added, knowing I'd already introduced her. Bella's eyes wandered to the women and back to Alex.

"Pleasure" Bella said, her eyes fixed on Alex. I yanked her elbow to move her closer to me. I knew she would react this way. Competition. My utter enemy was standing no more than two feet away from me. No. Not Jacob Black. This new threat that invaded my home, my peace, my Bella. I could read Alex's thoughts and I didn't like them one bit. An inferior creature who wanted to steal her. Oh, his lust for her was just as strong as mine. He wanted her for himself. Her blood was his wine.

"Bella, lets go inside. I think we should let Alex and Domina get more aquianted with Forks.: I said, having to drag her inside now. Once her body went through the threshold, her gaze wore and she shook her head.

"You alright, Bella?" I said with concern. She looked on the verge of fainting. I held her steadfast as she seemed to gain herself.

"Yeah. I'm alright. Where is everyone?" She asked looking around the big house now.

"Out. They all went hunting. I went earlier." I looked down at her. So fragile, so human, so mine. My face bent toward hers as our lips met. She held herself still as my lips danced across hers. A shadow behind her adverted my attention for a moment. The curtain swayed and the light was obstructed for a moment.

In that moment, I knew Alex was there, watching...and planning.


End file.
